1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electric current-producing cells, and more particularly to such cells employing specified cathode-active materials containing thiocyanogen.
2. Prior Art
There has been considerable interest in recent years in developing high energy density batteries based on voltaic cells. Exemplary of the developing systems is a high energy density electrochemical cell utilizing compounds of the transition metal chalcogenides such as titanium disulfide as cathode-active materials and using alkali metal anodes, e.g., as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,052. Additionally, there has been substantial activity in the development of many types of cells using alkali metal active-material anodes and a variety of cathodes. Among these developments are the primary cells described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,290 containing alkali metal anodes and cathodes employing silver thiocyanate and copper thiocyanate cathode-active materials. Although these systems contain metal thiocyanates, they are unlike the present invention in that the cation rather than the anion of the cathode-active material is the participating ion, e.g., silver ions goes to silver metal on electrochemical action. Also, Semones et al, Technical Report AFAPL-TR-71-82, National Technical Information Service (Sept., 1971) describe cells having lithium anodes, thiocyanate electrolytes and Ni(SCN).sub.2 and Co(SCN).sub.2 cathodes. Again, this teaching involves the use of anion rather than a cation participation.
Notwithstanding the considerable variety of high energy density electrochemical cell systems which have recently been developed, it is believed that the particular cells of the present invention, which utilize relatively inexpensive yet relatively active thiocyanogen-containing cathode-active materials as specified, have not been heretofore disclosed or rendered obvious.